Santa Rosa, Calif. –Vineyard & Winery Management (V&WM) will relocate its Craft Beverages Unlimited conference and trade show from Richmond, Virginia to Asheville, North Carolina. The event will be held at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Asheville from February 10-12, 2016.

Formerly known as Wineries Unlimited, this event enjoys the title of longest running annual B2B wine industry event in the eastern U.S. With the addition of spirits and craft brew to the conference, the event will now be called Craft Beverages Unlimited East.

V&WM has also officially changed the name of its Midwest conference and trade show to Craft Beverages Unlimited Midwest. Previously known as Midwest Grape & Wine + Craft Brew, the new name will match its new identity and unify the brand with its sister show in Asheville. The annual B2B event will return to the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, Missouri February 3-5, 2016 with a structure and strategy similar to the Asheville event.

When asked about the move to Asheville, V&WM President and Publisher, Robert Merletti said, “After five years at the Greater Richmond Convention Center and the expansion into other adult beverages, it was apparent the event needed a venue in a location that better suited broader audience outreach.”

“Asheville was chosen for a number of reasons, not the least being known as ‘Beer City’,” added Merletti. According to romanticasheville.com, Asheville, per capita, has one of the highest rates of craft brew consumption in the Southeast. Accolades include being named Beer City USA for four years in a row, Forbes Travel Guide 5 Beer Cities To Hit This Summer and CNN’s 8 Best Beer Towns in the USA.

The city has been named as one of Frommer's' Best Places to Go in 2015 and notes that “Asheville's national profile has risen to qualify it as the Austin of the East—accessible, youth-friendly, affordable, and the place to go for a sweet lifestyle.” Nestled in the Smokey Mountains, its offers outdoors activities, an artists’ community, and is home to the world famous Biltmore Estate.

In an unprecedented maneuver, a coalition of three leading beverage trade magazines are coming together to form an alliance and create three distinct conferences together under one roof: Craft Beer & Brewing, The American Distilling Institute, and Vineyard & Winery Management. These industry leaders will work to develop their own high level program within their own discipline under the general heading of Craft Beverages Unlimited in Asheville. All have distinct brands with niche magazines and established audiences. Their expertise and strategies will help create relevant content for their own specialized session tracks to ensure a healthy turnout.

“North Carolina has an active and growing wine industry. This move has sparked enthusiasm and support from the North Carolina Winegrowers Association,” according to Merletti.

“Asheville is hot spot for craft beer in the U.S. We couldn’t be more excited about helping bring this great event to the world-class craft beer community of Asheville, NC. The rapid growth of the craft beer industry in Asheville makes this location perfect.” according to John P. Bolton, CEO, CO-Founder of Unfiltered Media Group, LLC, Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine.

“Asheville is also very close to both Kentucky and Tennessee, meccas for those making spirits in the U.S.” says Bill Owens, founder and president of the American Distilling Institute.

“Next year marks the event’s 40th Anniversary, and I couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate than Asheville, North Carolina,” adds Merletti.

Each event will include a two-day trade show. Exhibit dates in St. Charles are February 4-5 and in Asheville on February 11-12, 2016. Booths will be available for purchase soon. Anyone interested in a trade show booth should contact Elizabeth Taggart at ExecutivEvents, (303) 530-0205 x16, etaggart@executivevents.com.

Results Are In for the 2015 Press Democrat North Coast Wine ChallengeRoche Winery, Chardonnay, 2013, Carneros, French Oak Reserve takes "Best of the Best of the Best"

Santa Rosa, Calif. – From the heart of North Coast wine country, Vineyard & Winery Management magazine (V&WM) and The Press Democrat have concluded the third annual North Coast Wine Challenge, a wine competition focused exclusively on wines produced in this prestigious region. A total of 174 gold medals were awarded medals from a field of nearly 1050 eligible entries, the most entries to date since its launch.

In the good nature of competitive spirit and ultimate bragging rights, this challenge rated wines produced and bottled by wineries only in North Coast AVAs. The challenge was created to highlight the best of each county and ultimately, the entire region. The North Coast served as its own jury in the decision-making, with competition judges representing the best sommeliers, winemakers, retail buyers and media.

"Top Wines received prestigious rankings of Best of Class by Category, Best of County, and ultimately one wine won the Best of the Best Award.The Roche Chardonnay was the stand-out at this year's event.Judges described it as '…the perfect chardonnay. A slam dunk favorite with all the judges. This wine really rocks!!'The wine received 99 points with a retail price of $35.95," according to Wine Competition Director Debra Del Fiorentino.

Only wines rating 90+ points were awarded gold medals and were eligible to move on to the 'Best Of' Category. "Our criteria is to only announce gold medal winners and above.This enables us to keep the prestige level high in this exclusive and wine judging," explained Robert Merletti, CEO and President of V&WM.All gold medal winners will be featured in the Food and Wine section of The Press Democrat on Wednesday, April 29.

Chief Judge Daryl Groom had this to say, "Wow!Another awesome judging with the 2015 North Coast Wine Competition. I was really thrilled with the talented pool of judges we had and oh what a pleasure to taste such an exceptional range of high quality diverse wines."Groom's expertise includes serving as wine judge in more than 150 wine shows across the United States, and he has made many award-winning wines in California's North Coast and his native Australia. He was named Winemaker of the Year by eight publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times.

The Press Democrat will subsequently host a trade and public tasting on May 17 at The Barlow in Sebastopol, Calif. featuring the highest scoring Gold Medal winners from this year's challenge."From the start of this competition three years ago we talked about a first class, quality experience for all involved and we not only met, but exceeded those expectations!," said Steve Falk, CEO of Sonoma Media Investments, owners of The Press Democrat.

The event will be the largest ever held at The Barlow since its transformation from apple cannery to a home to Artisan wine, food and arts makers.Guests will be able to explore The Barlow, meet gold-medal-winning winemakers and taste their wines paired with delicious food bites prepared by iconic North Bay chefs.

The Press Democrat will preview California's New Wine Museum scheduled to open in Santa Rosa, California in 2016.Guests will be able to experience wine exhibits and weigh in on its development.

Complimentary trade and press passes are available in addition to a pre-event trade talk (seating is limited).The Trade Talk will debunk myths about sustainability and will be presented by Ray Johnson, Director of the Wine Business Institutes at Sonoma State University, Karissa Kruze, Director of the Sonoma County Winegrowers and Allison Vice President of Environmental Affairs for Wine Institute.

For more details about the tasting, contact Cindy Butner, Marketing Director for The Press Democrat (see contact information above) or visit NorthCoastWineEvent.com for full details.

About Vineyard & Winery ManagementBased in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Craft Beverages Unlimited and the Midwest Grape & Wine + Craft Brew Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, East Meets West (formerly International Eastern Wine Competition and West Coast Wine Competition), and the International Women's Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

About The Press DemocratBased in Santa Rosa, Calif. , The Press Democrat is the North Bay's most-read provider of up-to-the-minute local news. It is a recognized leader in the development of highly effective integrated media solutions for its business clients. The Press Democrat is owned by Sonoma Media Investments LLC, a multimedia company that provides world-class local news, information and entertainment to audiences throughout San Francisco's North Bay.See PDmediaSource.com and pressdemocrat.com for more information.

Sponsors of the Press Democrat's Trade and Public Tastingwww.northcoastwineevent.com Presented by Sonoma Clean Power and sponsored by: Wells Fargo; Lavish Custom Sound; Smother's European – Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Sprinter; BevMo!; Cokas|Diko; Sonoma Magazine and the Wineseum.

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See the Vineyard & Winery Management mention in the Sonoma Magazine article:

Making a Lot of WineSense

By Virginie Boone

Wednesday, March 18, 2015 9:20 PM

Michaela Rodeno and Julie Williams were mothers of young children and busy wine professionals in Napa Valley in the early 1990s. When their kids started coming home from school with anti-drug pamphlets equating wine with heroin, they knew something had to be done.

“This caused considerable confusion in households where wine on the dinner table was customary,” recalled Rodeno, who at the time was CEO of St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery in Rutherford. Her children wondered, “Why are you making drugs?”

“They were curious,” she said. “In our household, we simply replied, ‘We’re not making drugs,’ and they were satisfied.”

But there was a neo-Prohibitionist movement afoot, and the anti-alcohol furor landed hard on women, particularly when it came to pregnancy, Rodeno said. It bothered her, and she soon found a kindred spirit in Williams (now Johnson), then co-owner of Frog’s Leap Winery in Rutherford. Both believed there was nothing wrong with wine consumption in moderation, and they wanted to work to counter the anti-wine hysteria of the times.

They founded Women for WineSense for that purpose, and 25 years later, the organization will celebrate its silver anniversary at its national conference April 30-May 2 in Napa.

“We were dreaming about what if one of us was to sit down and tell it like it really is?” Johnson said. “Could any of us sit down and hold our own in a discussion against the specific attack against women, against wine, against women with a family? And the answer was yes, and that’s what we proceeded to do.”

Margrit Mondavi hosted the first gathering of like-minded wine women on Aug. 7, 1990, at Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville. Among those in attendance were such prominent winemakers and wine industry leaders as Rosemary Cakebread, Suzanne Chambers, Beth (Novak) Milliken, Nancy Andrus, Dawnine Dyer, Paula Kornell, Mary Novak, Cathy Corison and Margaret Duckhorn. They called themselves Women for WineSense.

Their collective energy now focused, the group devoted itself to a “mantra of moderation,” as Rodeno would call it, dedicated to spreading the word on wine’s health benefits, using solid but then little-publicized scientific research as backing.

Hundreds of pages of studies were copied (pre-Internet) for distribution, while letter-writing campaigns and visits to Washington, D.C., promoted the message that healthy wine consumption was possible.

“The public debate at the time was one of extremes,” Rodeno said. “Laissez-faire libertarians battled with media-savvy anti-alcohol forces, with no one speaking up on behalf of the moderate middle.”

The efforts led to a 1991 cover story in the trade magazine Vineyard & Winery Management, which drummed up more support and a $10,000 donation from Marvin Shanken of Wine Spectator magazine. It was such a generous offer that when Shanken told Rodeno of it, she said she almost fell off a bench.

Santa Rosa, CA – For the second year, Vineyard & Winery Management combined two of its oldest and most established wine competitions into one by creating the International “East Meets West” Wine Challenge.The judging was held Feb. 10-11, 2015 in Sonoma County, California. A total of 1164 wines were awarded medals.

Since 1982, the West Coast Wine Competition has annually recognized wines produced and bottled in the West. The International Eastern Wine Competition, started in 1975, is one of the oldest and longest-running wine competitions in the nation.

This year, the competitions merged into one large event.Wines were simultaneously judged in two established regional divisions: International Eastern Wine Competition and the West Coast Wine Competition. Traditional awards were given in each division. Best of Show winners moved on to compete in the East Meets West Taste Off to see which wine was best overall. This afforded each entrant two chances to win medals: one in its own division and one in the Taste Off.A Riesling Championship was also held.

“This challenge allows eastern and western wines to compete in their own right while allowing each to contend on a national scale,” said event producer and Vineyard & Winery Management magazine publisher Robert Merletti.

According to Director of Wine Competitions and Chief Judge Debra Del Fiorentino, “This format worked well for us last year and has gained momentum this year.Keeping these established brands intact and adding a twist like the East Meets West Taste Off put an exciting spin on the challenge.”

About Vineyard & Winery Management Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently-owned and-operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM’s conferences and trade shows include Craft Beverages Unlimited and the Midwest Grape and Wine + Craft Brew Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, West Coast Wine Competition, and the International Women’s Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

Established in 1990, GHA seeks to uncover the distinctions of terroir by grouping wines for evaluation by appellation and variety. Wines are judged in the context of their viticultural regions in order to recognize the complexities and nuances of regional wines, and also to observe the influence of regional soil and climate characteristics on the taste and quality of individual wines.

The following wines took best their categories:

Best of Show and Best Red Wine:Miro Cellars, 2012 Petite Sirah, Dry Creek Valley

“Judges included winemakers, wine buyers, distributors, media personnel and other wine industry professionals who not only recognized the best wine submissions but possessed the level of knowledge and expertise needed to assess the wine’s terroir,” said VWM’s Director of Wine Competitions, Debra Del Fiorentino.

Says GHA spokesperson, Christopher Sawyer, a sommelier and wine educator based in Sonoma County, “For decades we have been trying to interpret the styles of wines made in America. Now, thanks to the use of new technology and fruit from more mature vines, the unique flavor profiles are becoming more defined. For those reasons, it’s exciting to see that the diverse list of winners at the Grand Harvest Awards 2014 really demonstrate how terroir makes a difference in the flavor profiles of grapes planted in special regions across the nation.”

“This unique wine competition showcases the diversity of terroir and we are pleased to be part of the research and promotion of all its regions in the U.S. and beyond,” said Robert Merletti, President and Publisher of Vineyard & Winery Management magazine.

Full results for the competition are posted on winecompetitions.com, a website developed by EnofileOnline for Vineyard & Winery Management to house all six of its wine competitions, and on enofileonline.com.

Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Craft Beverages Unlimited (formerly Wineries Unlimited) and the Midwest Grape & Wine + Craft Brew. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, East Meets West Wine Challenge, International Women's Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

For over three decades, this annual event has been serving wine industry professionals throughout the Midwestern United States. In keeping with current trends and market demand, the expanded two-day conference and trade show will now cater to producers of wine, craft beer and spirits creating one unified show.

“For two years now, we’ve been testing the marketplace to determine the demand for a one-stop educational and shopping experience,” said Robert Merletti, event producer and president of Vineyard & Winery Management. “Many of our exhibitors service more than one industry and many wineries are exploring alternative business models that expand beyond wine. Now is the optimum time to go ‘full beverage.’”

Midwest Grape & Wine + Craft Brew will take place March 10-12, 2015 at the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, Missouri.

There are several key strategies in place to drive conference attendance across all beverage platforms. “We’ve taken extra effort to improve our wine education offerings while extending our reach into other adult beverage industries,” Merletti said.

2015 Highlights include:

“Postmodern Winegrowing Forum and Tasting” with winemaker Clark Smith, whose “Postmodern Winemaking” was hailed as Wine and Spirits Magazine’s 2013 Book of the Year. These two experts will conduct a two-day forum on cutting-edge “Postmodern Winegrowing” for experienced grapegrowers and winemakers based in the Midwestern U.S. Smith will be joined by Neal Kinsey, Owner, Kinsey Agricultural Services, and author of Neal Kinsey’s Hands-On Agronomy and Misha T. Kwasniewski Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Enology Program Leader, Grape and Wine Institute, University of Missouri. This forum will include multiple classroom-style wine tastings, open to a limited number of participants. Early registration is encouraged.

Midwest Grape & Wine + Craft Brew is proud to announce Craft Beer & Brewing magazine as its event media partner. Based in Colorado, Craft Beer & Brewing will develop beer education sessions and specialized tastings, and cross-promote the program to its established and continually growing craft beer audience. According to CEO and Co-Founder John P. Bolton,“All of us at Craft Beer & Brewing are so happy to be part of this event in St. Charles. We are also very pleased to be partnering with such a first class and genuine organization like Vineyard & Winery Management. The synergy that exists between our two companies and the craft beer, wine, spirits industry is undeniable. That’s why we are so excited to help bring the craft beverage industry events that collimates education, exhibits, networking events, and tastings. As a multimedia company that publishes national magazine titles for craft beer enthusiasts, home brewers, and pro-brewers, we know and understand the challenges and opportunities that the craft beer market faces. Now we can play a role in uniting this perspective with the wine and spirits industry."

The Viticulture Enology Science and Technology Alliance (VESTA) will conduct a two-day wine sensory evaluation course and Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Institute will offer courses on “Calculating the True Cost of Your Wine” and “Financial Strategy and Planning for Wineries.”

Bill Owens, founder and president of The American Distilling Institute, will be on hand to conduct a distilling workshop that includes an interactive field trip to a local distillery.

Featured guest speakers will include Danelle Kosmal, vice president of client services with Nielsen’s Beverage Alcohol Practice, and Constant Contact's Ron Cates,who is one of the country's top email and social media marketing experts. EMyth business coaching will discuss relevant business and marketing topics necessary to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.

Attendees may also opt for an on-site Riedel glassware wine tasting where attendees may take home the glassware set as a parting gift.

Hundreds of new and returning exhibitors will showcase products and services for all facets of the adult beverage industry at the two-day trade show. Beverage tastings and lunch will be served on the trade show floor, allowing customers to socialize with vendors while shopping at the show.

Socializing will continue at an after-party at ”Q” Quintessential Dining and Nightlife, featuring beer, wine, and spirits with appetizer pairings and music.

For full details and to register, call 888.273.4533 or visit midwestgrape.com. To exhibit, contact Melissa Peterson at Boothboss, 715.824.5666, melissa@boothboss.com.

About Vineyard & Winery Management

Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Craft Beverages Unlimited (formerly Wineries Unlimited) and the Midwest Grape & Wine + Craft Brew Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, East Meets West (formerly International Eastern Wine Competition and West Coast Wine Competition), International Women's Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

Results Are In for International Wine Channel TV AwardsDr. Konstantin Frank’s 2012 Finger Lakes Riesling takes Best of Show

Santa Rosa, Calif. – Vineyard & Winery Management (V&WM) has announced the results of the 2014 International Wine Channel TV awards (IWC-TV), including the overall Best of Show award, which went to the Dr. Konstantin Frank 2012 Finger Lakes Riesling.

Judging for the competition took place September 16-17 in Sonoma County, Calif.

Judges awarded a total of 21 Best of Class, six double gold, 34 gold and 154 silver medals. They also named six wines as Best of Show in their respective categories:

In an effort to recognize up-and-coming young winemaking talent, winemakers under 35 years old were invited to submit their best wines for the Rising Star Winemaker Award. For the second year in a row, Eric Harris of Two-EE's Winery in Indiana was honored with this title, earning a bronze for his Indiana, Primitivo ($20); a silver for his 2013 Indiana Traminette ($17); and double gold and Best of Class awards for his Barreja NV ($22), thus achieving the highest collective scoring points awarded by the judges.

The face of Wine Channel TV is Jessica Altieri, professional wine judge and media personality, who served as the spokesperson and a judge for the competition. Altieri's international reputation as a knowledgeable wine professional helped draw consumer attention from the under-40 crowd. According to V&WM president and competition owner Robert Merletti, "Our mission is to help producers better understand the tastes and wine preferences of the Millennial generation by having Millennial wine experts judge the wines. Joining forces with Wine Channel TV aids in our strategy to reach a Millennial customer base and assures award-winners that their wines are being seen and promoted to this target market."

Wine Channel TV will feature select winners at a live consumer wine event, to be broadcast from The Underground in Chicago on Oct. 16. For more details, contact Peter Altieri, Wine Channel TV Network, petea@wctvnetwork.com , 847-224-0600.

About Vineyard & Winery ManagementBased in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Craft Beverages Unlimited (formerly Wineries Unlimited) and the Midwest Grape & Wine + Craft Brew Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, East Meets West (formerly International Eastern Wine Competition and West Coast Wine Competition), International Women's Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

For 39 years, this annual event has been serving wine industry professionals in the eastern United States and Canada. In keeping with current trends and market demand, the expanded two-day conference and trade show will now cater to producers of wine, craft beer and spirits creating one unified show.

“For two years now, we’ve been testing the marketplace to determine the demand for a one-stop educational and shopping experience,” said Robert Merletti, event producer and president of Vineyard & Winery Management. “Many of our exhibitors service more than one industry and many wineries are exploring alternative business models that expand beyond wine. Now is the optimum time to go ‘full beverage.’”

Craft Beverages Unlimited will take place March 4-5, 2015 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Va.

There are several key strategies in place to drive conference attendance across all beverage platforms. “We’ve taken extra effort to improve our wine education offerings while extending our reach into other adult beverage industries,” Merletti said.

Highlights of the 2015 conference will include:

Dr. Bruce Zoecklein, Enology Professor Emeritus at Virginia Tech, will be joined by winemaker Clark Smith, whose “Postmodern Winemaking” was hailed as Wine and Spirits Magazine’s 2013 Book of the Year. These two experts will conduct a two-day forum on cutting-edge “Postmodern Winegrowing” for experienced grapegrowers and winemakers based in the eastern U.S. This forum will include multiple classroom-style wine tastings, open to a limited number of participants. Early registration is encouraged. Thereafter, stadium seating is available for just the lecture portion.

CBU is proud to announce Craft Beer & Brewing magazine as its event media partner. Based in Colorado, Craft Beer & Brewing will develop beer education sessions and specialized tastings, and cross-promote the program to its established and continually growing craft beer audience. According to CEO and Co-Founder John P. Bolton,“All of us at Craft Beer & Brewing are so happy to be part of this event in Richmond, Va. We are also very pleased to be partnering with such a first class and genuine organization like Vineyard & Winery Management. The synergy that exists between our two companies and the craft beer, wine, spirits industry is undeniable. That’s why we are so excited to help bring the craft beverage industry events that collimates education, exhibits, networking events, and tastings. As a multimedia company that publishes national magazine titles for craft beer enthusiasts, home brewers, and pro-brewers, we know and understand the challenges and opportunities that the craft beer market faces. Now we can play a role in uniting this perspective with the wine and spirits industry."

Attendees may also opt for an on-site Spiegelau glassware beer tasting where attendees may take home the glassware set as a parting gift.

Bill Owens, founder and president of The American Distilling Institute, will be on hand to conduct a distilling workshop that includes an interactive field trip to a local distillery.

Featured guest speakers will include Danelle Kosmal, vice president of client services with Nielsen’s Beverage Alcohol Practice, and Constant Contact's Ron Cates, who is one of the country's top email and social media marketing experts. EMyth business coaching will discuss relevant business and marketing topics necessary to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.

Hundreds of new and returning exhibitors will showcase products and services for all facets of the adult beverage industry at the two-day trade show. Beverage tastings and lunch will be served on the trade show floor, allowing customers to socialize with vendors while shopping at the show.

Socializing will continue at the Downtown Ale House in Richmond, at an after-party featuring beer, wine, and spirits with appetizer pairings and music.

About Vineyard & Winery ManagementBased in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Craft Beverages Unlimited (formerly Wineries Unlimited) and the Midwest Grape & Wine + Craft Brew Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, East Meets West (formerly International Eastern Wine Competition and West Coast Wine Competition), International Women's Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries + Breweries Unlimited and the Midwest Grape & Wine + Craft Brew Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, East Meets West (formerly International Eastern Wine Competition and West Coast Wine Competition), International Women's Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

Results Are In for the 2014 Press Democrat North Coast Wine ChallengeW.H. Smith Wines, Pinot Noir, 2010, Proprietor’s Reserve, California, Sonoma Coast takes “Best of the Best of the Best”

Santa Rosa, Calif. – From the heart of North Coast wine country, Vineyard & Winery Management magazine (V&WM) and The Press Democrat have concluded the second North Coast Wine Challenge, a wine competition focused exclusively on wines produced in this prestigious region. A total of 167 gold medals were awarded medals from a field of nearly 900 eligible entries.

In the good nature of competitive spirit and ultimate bragging rights, this challenge rated wines produced and bottled by wineries only in North Coast AVAs. The challenge was created to highlight the best of each county and ultimately, the entire region. The North Coast served as its own jury in the decision-making, with competition judges representing only the best North Coast sommeliers, winemakers, retail buyers and media.

"Wines were designated the ranking of Best of Class by Category, Best of County, and ultimately the Best of the Best as top award” explained Debra Del Fiorentino, Director of Wine Competitions for V&WM. “Judging was rigorous and not all counties achieved highest marks. Only wines rating 90+ points were awarded gold medals and were eligible to the ‘Best Of’ Category.”

Daryl Groom led the exclusive event for its second year. “The success and prestige of this challenge continues to grow and personally delight me. The 2014 judging was fantastic. I am proud to be associated with it as chief judge,” said Groom. Groom's expertise includes serving as wine judge in more than 150 wine shows across the United States, and he has made many award-winning wines in California's North Coast and his native Australia. He was named Winemaker of the Year by eight publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times.

Added Groom, “Judges were very, very impressed with the extremely high quality of the wines. 167 gold medals were given, representing 19% of the wines entered. I don’t believe any other competition in the USA can boast this quality level. It’s a testament to our talented North Coast winemakers and a reflection of the world class grape growing conditions we are blessed with.”

Winners will be announced in the Food and Wine section of The Press Democrat on Wednesday, May 14. "The PD is the Redwood Empire’s leading newspaper and continues to serve as the ideal media partner for this North Coast judging. We share a similar vision and through this ongoing partnership we are able to ensure consumer exposure for award-winning wines through local media,” said Robert Merletti, CEO and President of V&WM.

The Press Democrat will host an invitational tasting on June 15 at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, which will feature a selection of medal-winning wines from the North Coast Wine Challenge. "This competition is about quality. No matter if a wine sells for under $20 per bottle or over $75, the winners are all superior and will be available to taste at our event ,” said Steve Falk, CEO of Sonoma Media Investments, owners of The Press Democrat. For more details about the tasting, contact Cindy Butner, Marketing Director for The Press Democrat (see contact information above) or visit NorthCoastWineEvent.com for full details.

Award winners will be posted at NorthCoastWineChallenge.com, NorthCoastWineEvent.com, winecompetitions.com, vwmmedia.com, and pressdemocrat.com.

Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries + Breweries Unlimited and the Midwest Grape & Wine + Craft Brew Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, East Meets West (formerly International Eastern Wine Competition and West Coast Wine Competition), International Women's Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

About The Press Democrat

Based in Santa Rosa, Calif. , The Press Democrat is the North Bay's most-read provider of up-to-the-minute local news. It is a recognized leader in the development of highly effective integrated media solutions for its business clients. The Press Democrat is owned by the recently formed Sonoma Media Investments LLC, a multimedia company that provides world-class local news, information and entertainment to audiences throughout San Francisco's North Bay. See PDmediaSource.com and pressdemocrat.com for more information.

Santa Rosa, CA – Vineyard & Winery Management combined two of its oldest and most established wine competitions into one by creating the first International “East Meets West” Wine Challenge.The judging was held Feb. 19-20, 2014 in Sonoma County, California. A total of 964 wines were awarded medals.

This year, the competitions merged into one large event.Wines were simultaneously judged in two established regional divisions: International Eastern Wine Competition and the West Coast Wine Competition. Traditional awards were given in each division. Best of Show winners moved on to compete in the East Meets West Taste Off to see which wine was best overall. This afforded each entrant two chances to win medals: one in its own division and one in the Taste Off.A Riesling Championship was also held for Eastern wines.

“This challenge allows eastern and western wines to compete in their own right while allowing each to contend on a national scale.We’ve gotten great feedback from everyone involved,” said event producer and Vineyard & Winery Management magazine publisher Robert Merletti.

According to Director of Wine Competitions Debra Del Fiorentino “Keeping these established brands intact and adding a twist like the East Meets West Taste Off put an exciting spin on the challenge.”Added judge William Bloxsom-Carter, Executive Chef/Food & Beverage Director for Playboy Mansion West, “Many of the judges have shared with me the thrill of judging the East versus West during the sweepstakes round!”

"These are wines that curl your toes, wines that open your eyes wide, wines that you just have to talk about," enthused Larry Van Aalst, host of The Sonoma Wine Report and CRN Digital Talk Radio. "The newest concept in wine competitions - East Meets West, has them all. More like an extended family reunion than a competition, East Meets West brings together the best judges to proudly celebrate what we enjoy in fine wines."

Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently-owned and-operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM’s conferences and trade shows include Wineries + Breweries Unlimited and the Midwest Grape and Wine + Craft Brew Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, West Coast Wine Competition, International Women’s Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

Santa Rosa, Calif. - Vineyard & Winery Management's 23rd Annual Grand Harvest Awards has revealed the results of this year's competition with 53 Best of Class awards including 139 Double Gold, 25 Gold, and 432 Silver medals. Established in 1990, the wine competition is based on terroir and the awards indicate the individuality of each of the various regions/appellations.

"This unique wine competition that was started by my family in 1990 showcases the diverse terriors from around the United States," said Robert Merletti, President and Publisher of Vineyard & Winery Management. "We are proud to be working with the entire American wine industry and helping in the research and promotion of all its regions."

The Grand Harvest Awards are based on the concept of terroir as judges recognize this influence while tasting wines with others of the same appellation. With cross-regional competition removed, the inherent quality of wines can be seen without the influences that sometimes eclipse even a wine of very high quality. Wines are judged in the context of their viticultural region in order to accomplish two things: to recognize the complexities and nuances of regional wines, and also to measure the influenceof regional soil and weather characteristics on the taste and quality of individual wines.

With the support of some of the entering wineries, soil samples were collected for a new soil display at the competition, which enhanced terroir discussion among the judges. Soils were represented from New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Colorado and California wine regions.

"This year the caliber of judges increased, enhancing the level of knowledge and expertise needed to assess the wine's terroir. We had a strong set of sommeliers, buyers, winery owners, writers and winemakers, including Renata Franzia, owner of Bronco Wine Estates, Gina Gallo, chief winemaker for E&J Gallo, and Cory Lester, sommelier for Truett Hurst as well as the seasoned veterans, many of whom have been around from the competition's inception," said VWM's Director of Wine Competitions, Debra DelFiorentino.

During judging, wines were grouped by AVA and varietal. Judges were told what regions the wines were from while they were tasting. According to GHA spokesperson, Christopher Sawyer, "On behalf of the 25 wine judges who participated at this year's event, we are thrilled that the impact of the awards handed out at the Grand Harvest Awards 2013 will build momentum for the vineyard owners growing the grapes, the winemakers who craft the wines, the sommeliers and wine buyers who follow the results of the competition and, ultimately, the consumers who get to enjoy the aromas and flavors of the finished wines produced in the famous regions of America and around the globe."

Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries + Breweries Unlimited and the Midwest Grape &Wine + Craft Brew. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, East Meets West Wine Challenge, International Women's Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

The 2014 Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge is Open for Entries

Santa Rosa, Calif. - From the heart of North Coast wine country, Vineyard & Winery Management will produce the second Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, focused on wines produced in California's premier wine growing region. Entries are being accepted now through April 10, 2014.Judging will take place April 29-30, 2014.

"I am very excited about this challenge. We had an absolutely fantastic judging last year and look forward making it even more impressive next time. The 1,000 wines we judged in 2013 thrilled our judges, who awarded 14% gold medals or 90+ point scores. Our pool of experienced judges includes top-name retail and restaurant buyers, sommeliers, winemakers and wine writers," according to Chief Judge and spokesperson Daryl Groom. Groom is the owner and winemaker of Groom Wines, and a recipient of eight Winemaker-of-the-Year awards. He has judged in more than 100 wine competitions across the United States.

"The judging in this contest is rigorous. Only wines from select California North Coast AVAs are eligible to enter. Those that merit 90 points and higher will achieve the coveted gold medal status," said Debra Del Fiorentino, Vineyard & Winery Management Director of Wine Competitions.

Additional accolades will be given to the gold medalists that earn Best of Category and Best of County awards, and only one wine will earn the Best of the Best award.

The award-winning wines will be publicized in The Press Democrat, its affiliates and Vineyard & Winery Management magazine - in print, online and through social media channels. Wineries will also receive a quote from the judging notes describing their award-winning wines.

Groom adds, "We make world class wines here on California's North Coast. This competition celebrates the BEST of the BEST, and I can't wait to see who will come out on top in 2014."

The Press Democrat will continue as valued media partner and naming sponsor for the competition. Robert Merletti, President and Publisher of Vineyard & Winery Management, explained that, "A key element to the success of this wine challenge is through our relationship with The Press Democrat and its influence as a major publication in wine country. Winning wineries want more consumer exposure. They'll get it through The Press Democrat."

"The level of participation that the folks at Vineyard & Winery Management brought to the table this year was impressive. After receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the wineries who participated in 2013, we expect that even more will enter next year's competition," said Steve Falk, CEO of Sonoma Media Investments, LLC, owners of The Press Democrat.

On June 15, 2014, The Press Democrat will host an invitational tasting for the North Coast Wine Challenge in Napa Valley. The event will feature gold medal wines scoring 90+ points, including the Best of the Best winner. "We look forward to bringing wine enthusiasts to the region to share these exceptional wines presented in an exceptional tasting experience," said Falk.

About Vineyard & Winery ManagementBased in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries Unlimited and the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International "East Meets West" Wine Challenge (International Eastern Wine Competition/West Coast Wine Competition), International Women's Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

About The Press DemocratBased in Santa Rosa, California, The Press Democrat is the North Bay's most-read provider of up-to-the-minute local news. It is a recognized leader in the development of highly effective integrated media solutions for its business clients. The Press Democrat is owned by the recently-formed Sonoma Media Investments, LLC, a multimedia company that provides world-class local news, information and entertainment to audiences throughout San Francisco's North Bay. See PDmediaSource.com and pressdemocrat.com for more information.

Results Are In for International Wine Channel TV AwardsNavarro Vineyards Late Harvest Gewurztraminer Wins Best of Show

Santa Rosa, Calif. - Vineyard & Winery Management (V&WM) has announced the results of the 2013 International Wine Channel TV awards (IWC-TV), including the overall Best of Show award, which went to Navarro Vineyards for its 2012 Late Harvest Gewürztraminer.

Judging for the competition took place September 4-5 in Sonoma County, Calif.

More than 850 wines were entered in the competition. Judges awarded a total of 26 Best of Class, 16 Double Gold, 65 Gold and 230 Silver medals. They also named five wines as Best of Show in their respective categories:

In an effort to recognize up-and-coming young winemaking talent, winemakers under 35 were invited to submit their best wines for the first Rising Star Winemaker Award. Eric Harris of Two-EE's Winery was honored with this title, earning two Best of Class awards and thus achieving the highest collective scoring points awarded by the judges.

The face of Wine Channel TV is Jessica Altieri, professional wine judge and media personality, who served as the spokesperson and judge for the competition. Altieri's international reputation as a knowledgeable wine enthusiast helped increase entries and draw consumer attention from the under-40 crowd. "One of the unique aspects that was key to the success of the event was the creative, passionate DNA of the team of judges," said Altieri. "Highly driven and successful, the judging panels were the perfect combination of wine professionals from different backgrounds - a 'perfect storm' for wine judging."

Wine Channel TV is one of the world's fastest-growing wine lifestyle communities, connecting leading wine lifestyle brands and Millennials through its worldwide presence. Wine Channel TV Network will promote the event and award-winning wines with original video segments for its engaging Facebook community (32K fans and a friend-of-fan reach of more than 15 million), its Hotel Channel (U.S.-based hotels including Hyatt and Marriott), and in Singapore on the Sunrise Lifestyle IPTV Channel (reaching more than 50,000 subscribers and more than 2 million mobile subscribers by July 2013.)

According to V&WM President and competition owner Rob Merletti, "Our mission with our competitions is to help producers promote their award-winning wines, and one way to do this is to align with a business with consumer outreach and influence. Joining forces with Wine Channel TV has proven a tremendous success. The company's ability to reach a high-end Millennial customer base assures the wineries that their wines are being seen and promoted to this target market."

Wine Channel TV will host the world's first Live Wine Consumer Award Event, to be broadcast from The Underground in Chicago on October 17, with award-winning wines and a celebrity wine lifestyle tasting audience with fashion, music, art, and start-up technology influencers in attendance. Award-winning wines will be featured in original content programming for the all-important holiday season, November through December, on the Wine Channel TV Network. "An international audience, including consumers and winemakers, will be able to see and hear the excitement and real conversation taking place, with award-winning wines being served," commented Altieri. For more details, contact Peter Altieri, Wine Channel TV Network, petea@wctvnetwork.com, 847-224-0600.

About Wine Channel TV NetworkWCTV Network LLC (www.wctvmedia.com) is a leader in building online, cable and media marketing brands in selected vertical markets. Wine Channel TV (www.winechanneltv.com) produces and delivers original wine lifestyle content through a converged network of online, mobile and TV programming. WCTV Network works with leading wine lifestyle brands, trade associations and governments around the world. WCTV is headquartered in Chicago, Ill., and has offices in Sonoma and New York City.

About Vineyard & Winery ManagementBased in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces wine industry trade publications, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries Unlimited and the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference. Its wine competitions include the International Wine Channel TV Awards, the Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, International Women's Wine Competition, West Coast Wine Competition, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

Best Wine By A Woman Winemaker went to Shauna Rosenblum, Rock Wall Wine Company, for the Harris Kratka 2010 Zinfandel. The panelists gave this combined comment on the wine: "Friggin' Gold! Spice, apple, perfectly picked grape."

Chief Judge Debra Del Fiorentino, Sommelier, CWP, CSW, points out that the International Women's Wine Competition is judged entirely by leading women in the wine industry. The judges recognize not only the best wines submitted, but also the wines they feel would appeal most to women wine buyers and consumers.

Vineyard & Winery Management welcomed its media partnership with Women for WineSense for its 2013 International Women's Wine Competition to help raise awareness and increase entries in the competition. "This media alliance is the logical fit," says Del Fiorentino. "Their goals and objectives are perfectly in sync with ours for this niche judging."

"Our organization is all about offering wine education to empower women, both in their wine careers and through the development of their palates in order to make more informed purchasing decisions," enthused Women for WineSense National President Rebecca Moore. "We were thrilled to provide our members with this opportunity."

About Vineyard & Winery ManagementBased in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries Unlimited and the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, West Coast Wine Competition, International Women's Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

Results Are In for The Press Democrat North Coast Wine ChallengeBeaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Napa Valley 2009 Red Bordeaux Blend Takes Best of the Best

Santa Rosa, CA - From the heart of North Coast wine country, Vineyard & Winery Management magazine and The Press Democrat have concluded the first North Coast Wine Challenge, a new wine competition focused exclusively on wines produced in this prestigious region. A total of 132 wines were awarded medals from a field of nearly 1,000 entries.

In the good nature of competitive spirit and ultimate bragging rights, this challenge rated wines produced and bottled only in North Coast AVAs. The challenge was created to highlight the best of each county and ultimately, the entire region. The North Coast served as its own jury in the decision-making by including only the best North Coast sommeliers and winemakers to judge.

The Wine Challenge introduced a new approach to award designations, according to Debra Del Fiorentino, Director of Wine Competitions for V&WM. "Wines were designated the ranking of Best of Class by Category, Best of County, and ultimately the Best of the Best as top award. The competition also introduced a new Luxury Class, for wines retailing at $75 or more."

Chief judge Daryl Groom led the exclusive event for its inaugural year. Daryl's expertise includes serving as wine judge in over 150 wine shows across the United States, and he has made many award-winning wines in California's North Coast and his native Australia. He was named Winemaker of the Year by eight publications including the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times. Said Groom, "We had a fantastic first event and I could not be happier with the judging and the results. I felt the expertise of our judging panels was the best any competition could possibly have. It was a grueling task to critique over 100 wines each per day, but all the judges had big smiles. Why? Where else in the world do you get to taste that many absolutely top notch wines of such diversity but on the North Coast of California? It's a credit to the winemaking talent and the great climate we have. Picking the ultimate winners was tough, but some really stunning wines shone through."

"A key element to the success of this event was in joining forces with The Press Democrat as our media partner," said Robert Merletti, CEO and President of V&WM. "We shared a similar vision about the contest and were able to ensure consumer exposure for award-winning wines through local media."

"We live and work in the heart of the leading quality wine region in the country and The Press Democrat is committed to bringing new focus and attention to our great wines," said Steve Falk, CEO of Sonoma Media Investments, owners of The Press Democrat. "Together with our partners at Vineyard and Winery Management, we expect this new North Coast Wine Challenge will grow into one of the most important events in the North Bay region." In his former role as publisher at the San Francisco Chronicle, Falk transformed the Cloverdale Citrus Festival's Wine Competition into the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Winners were exclusively announced in the June 5th edition of the Food and Wine section of The Press Democrat. The paper will host a public tasting on Sunday, July 14th featuring a selection of medal-winning wines from this event. For more details about the public tasting, contact Cindy Butner, Marketing Director for The Press Democrat (see contact information above).

About Vineyard & Winery ManagementBased in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces an international wine trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries Unlimited and the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, West Coast Wine Competition, International Women's Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

About The Press DemocratBased in Santa Rosa, California, The Press Democrat is the North Bay's most-read provider of up-to-the-minute local news. It is a recognized leader in the development of highly effective integrated media solutions for its business clients. The Press Democrat is owned by the recently-formed Sonoma Media Investments, LLC, a multimedia company that provides world-class local news, information and entertainment to audiences throughout San Francisco's North Bay. See PDmediaSource.com and pressdemocrat.com for more information.

Chief Judge Debra Del Fiorentino, Sommelier, CWP, CSW, points out that the International Women's Wine Competition is judged entirely by leading women in the wine industry. The judges recognize not only the best wines submitted, but also the wines they feel would appeal most to women wine buyers and consumers.

"This media alliance is the logical fit," says Del Fiorentino. "Their goals and objectives are perfectly in sync with ours for this niche judging."

"Our organization is all about offering wine education to empower women, both in their wine careers and through the development of their palates in order to make more informed purchasing decisions," enthused Women for WineSense National President Rebecca Moore. "We are thrilled to provide our members with this opportunity."

Women for WineSense members will be offered a $5 per wine discount for every entry as a benefit to WWS members and to help drive entries.

According to Del Fiorentino, "We have excellent, top notch judges including Liz Thach, MW, Professor of Wine Business & Management, SSU Wine Business Institute; Theo Snyder, wine buyer for Total Wine & More; Traci Dutton, Sommelier, The Culinary Institute of America; Jessica Alteri, Sommelier, CEO Wine Channel TV Network; and Shauna Rosenblum, Head Winemaker, Rock Wall Winery. I invite you to go online to see a complete list of judges with their bios."

The judging will be held in Sonoma County, California July 9-10, 2013. Deadline for entries is June 20.

Entries may be made through the event website at www.winecompetitions.com or through EnofileOnline.com. See winecompetitions.com for complete details.

About Women for WineSenseWomen for WineSense (WWS), soon to be in its 25th year, is a national organization with multiple chapters and over 800 members across the United States. The membership ranges from wine enthusiasts to those actively employed in, or seeking to enter, the wine industry, and boasts some of the most famous, and soon-to-be-famous, names in the wine world. With a mission focused on education, networking and the promotion of women in the wine industry, WWS is able to offer a wide array of programs and events to tempt and educate palates ranging from aficionados to professional members. For more information and to join this amazing organization, please visit womenforwinesense.org.

About Vineyard & Winery ManagementBased in Santa Rosa, California, Vineyard & Winery Management is an independent family-owned and -operated multimedia company that produces a wine industry trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. It publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries Unlimited, Midwest Grape and Wine, and Winery DIY. Its wine competitions include the Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, International Women's Wine Competition, West Coast Wine Competition, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

Live Consumer Tasting Event and Award-Winning Wines to be Promoted Worldwide on Wine Channel TV

Santa Rosa, CA - Vineyard & Winery Management (VWM) has just expanded its wine competitions to include the inaugural International Wine Channel TV Awards. Judging for the competition will occur September 4-5, 2013 in Sonoma County, California.

The face of Wine Channel TV is Jessica Altieri, professional wine judge and media personality, who will step into the position as spokesperson and judge for the International Wine Channel TV Awards. Wine Channel TV (WCTV) is a visionary wine lifestyle media company that drives conversation on how people talk, drink and interact with wine.

Altieri's international reputation as a media personality and knowledgeable wine enthusiast is sure to draw consumer attention from the under-40 crowd. Wine Channel TV is one of the world's fastest-growing wine lifestyle communities, connecting leading wine lifestyle brands and millennials through its worldwide presence. Wine Channel TV Network will be promoting the event and award-winning wines with featured original content video segments on its engaging Facebook community (32K fans and a friend of fan reach of over 15 million), its Hotel Channel (US-based hotels including Hyatt and Marriott), and in Singapore on the Sunrise Lifestyle IPTV Channel (reaching over 50,000 subscribers and over 2 million mobile subscribers by July 2013).

The event will feature the world's first Live Wine Consumer Award Event, to be broadcast from Chicago in October 2013 and featuring award-winning wines and a celebrity wine lifestyle tasting audience with fashion, music, art, and start-up technology influencers in attendance. Award-winning wines will be featured in original content programming for the all-important holiday season, November through December, on the Wine Channel TV Network.

The realization of this new competition is due to the combined efforts of George Christie, CEO of Vineyard & Winery Management, and Jessica Altieri, CEO of Wine Channel TV.

"This kind of marketing presence is likely to draw a higher number of entries into competition, and the winners will receive the extra media exposure Altieri and her team can deliver," said Christie.

"An international audience, including consumers and winemakers, will be able to see and hear the excitement and real conversation taking place with award-winning wines being served," commented Jessica Altieri.

"The objective for any wine producer is to sell more wine. With six different wine competitions, we are providing many avenues to get good wine noticed through a variety of niche competitions. A medal in any of our wine judgings can put a wine a notch above the rest," according to VWM's Wine Competition Director, Debra Del Fiorentino.

The Wine Channel TV Awards is now accepting entries through event website winecompetitions.com or at EnofileOnline.com. The deadline for entry is August 15, 2013. Judging will occur September 4-5, 2013 in Sonoma County, California.

About Wine Channel TV Network WCTV Network LLC (www.wctvmedia.com) is a leader in building online, cable and media marketing brands in selected vertical markets. Wine Channel TV (www.winechanneltv.com) produces and delivers original wine lifestyle content through a converged network of online, mobile and TV programming. WCTV Network works with leading wine lifestyle brands, trade associations and governments around the world. WCTV is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois with offices in Sonoma and New York City.

About Vineyard & Winery Management Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces wine industry trade publications, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. VWM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries Unlimited and the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference. Its wine competitions include the International Wine Channel TV Awards, the Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, International Women's Wine Competition, West Coast Wine Competition, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

Santa Rosa, CA - Vineyard & Winery Management has announced the results of the second U.S. National Wine Competition (USNWC), including the overall Best of Show winner - Dr. Konstantin Frank 2012 Dry Riesling from Finger Lakes, New York.

The competition celebrates all grape varieties unique to the U.S. today (native, hybrid, and vinifera). "The U.S. National Wine Competition represents the wide range of our wine growing regions, and ties in with the diversity of the nation's ethnic food and wine pairings," said Debra Del Fiorentino, Director of Wine Competitions for Vineyard & Winery Management.

"The key to a successful competition is the caliber of wine judges," said Del Fiorentino. An outstanding panel of judges awarded a total of 9 Double Gold medals, 65 Gold medals, 226 Silver medals, 184 Bronze medals and 22 Best of Class. Judges also named four wines as Best of Show in their respective categories:

Best of Show Red: Haywood Winery 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Los Chamizal, Sonoma, California Best of Show Rosé: Detour Winery 2011 Meadow Breeze, Detour, Maryland Best of Show Sparkling: Sparkling Pointe 2008 Brut Seduction, Long Island, New York Best of Show White: Dr. Konstantin Frank 2012 Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York

According to Robert Merletti, President and Publisher of Vineyard & Winery Management, "Our mission is to provide the North American wine industry with the necessary tools to achieve success and sustainability through multiple pathways. One path is by awarding excellence with wine competition medals to help wineries boost sales and increase their exposure in today's competitive wine marketplace."

Full results are posted on www.EnofileOnline.com and Vineyard & Winery Management's wine competition website at winecompetitions.com.

About Vineyard & Winery Management Based in Santa Rosa, California, Vineyard & Winery Management is an independent family-owned and operated multimedia company that produces a wine industry trade publication, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. It publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries Unlimited, Midwest Grape and Wine, and Winery DIY. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, International Wine Channel TV Awards, International Women's Wine Competition, West Coast Wine Competition, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

Santa Rosa, CA - From the heart of North Coast wine country, Vineyard & Winery Management and The Press Democrat announce the first North Coast Wine Challenge, a new wine competition focused exclusively on wines produced in this prestigious region.

"Wines produced in the North Coast are arguably the best in North America, if not the world," says Wine Industry Network and Vineyard & Winery Management CEO George Christie. "This competition is meant to highlight the best of each county and ultimately, the entire region. The event will target both established and new producers and position itself as the most competitive and challenging wine competition in North America."

The competition will open for entries on February 26, 2013, with a deadline of May 10. The judging will take place May 29-30, 2013. For more information or to enter the competition please visit NorthCoastWineChallenge.com.

In the good nature of competitive spirit and ultimate bragging rights, this challenge will rate wines produced only in North Coast AVAs. And the North Coast will be their own jury in the decision-making, by including only the best North Coast sommeliers and winemakers to judge.

"We live and work in the heart of the leading quality wine region in the country and The Press Democrat is committed to bringing new focus and attention to our great wines," said Steve Falk, CEO of Sonoma Media Investments, owners of The Press Democrat. "Going forward, the event will officially be called The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge." In his former role as publisher at the San Francisco Chronicle, Steve transformed the Cloverdale Citrus Festival's Wine Competition into the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Introducing Best of Class WinesThe Wine Challenge will be introducing a new approach to award designations, according to Debra Del Fiorentino, Director of Wine Competitions for VWM. "Wines will be designated the ranking of Best of Class by Category, Best of County, and ultimately the Best of the Best as top award." She said the competition will also introduce a new Luxury Class, for wines retailing at $75 or more.

"We wanted a new structure to simply recognize wines that stood out as exceptional, and from that group, to determine this year's Best of the Best," Del Fiorentino said.

Daryl Groom has been recruited as chief judge to lead the exclusive event for its inaugural year. Daryl comes with incredible expertise. He has judged over 150 wine shows across the United States and has made many award-winning wines

in California's North Coast and his native Australia. He has been named Winemaker of the Year by eight publications including the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times. "Daryl is not only one of the most talented and respected

winemakers in the region, he's one of the best on the planet," said Christie. "We are honored to have him as a part of the North Coast Wine Challenge."

The Press Democrat joins as PartnerNow under new local ownership, The Press Democrat has enthusiastically partnered with VWM to promote competition awareness and spotlight the winning wines. Falk said the newspaper's new ownership is committed to increasing its support and coverage of the region's wine industry. "Having The Press Democrat as a part of this is incredible," said Christie. "They're the perfect media partner and the exposure that winning wineries will experience as a result will make an impact on their business."

About Vineyard & Winery ManagementBased in Santa Rosa, Calif., Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces wine industry trade publications, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries Unlimited and the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference. Its wine competitions include The Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, International Women's Wine Competition, West Coast Wine Competition, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information.

About The Press DemocratBased in Santa Rosa, Calif., The Press Democrat is the North Bay's most-read provider of up-to-the-minute local news. It is a recognized leader in the development of highly effective integrated media solutions for its business clients. The Press Democrat is owned by the recently-formed Sonoma Media Investments, LLC a multimedia company that provides world-class local news, information and entertainment to audiences throughout San Francisco's North Bay. See PDmediaSource.com and pressdemocrat.com for more information.

About Wine Industry NetworkThe Wine Industry Network (WIN) is a comprehensive Internet marketplace and resource site specifically created to help wine industry professionals more effectively and efficiently locate and connect with suppliers. WIN is dedicated to the business of wine and to providing information crucial to the success of the entire wine industry. www.WineIndustryNetwork.com.

Results Are In for International Eastern Wine Competition & Riesling Challenge21 Brix Winery 2011 Vidal Ice Wine Wins Best of ShowSanta Rosa, CA - The Vineyard & Winery Management Group has announced the results of the 37th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition and Riesling Championship (IEWC), including the overall Best of Show winner - 21 Brix Winery 2011 Vidal Ice Wine from Lake Erie.

More than 1,150 wines were entered in the competition. Although the spotlight is on wines from the Eastern and Midwestern regions of the United States and Eastern Canada, due to overwhelming demand from wineries outside the defined IEWC regions, this year the competition was opened to all international wine producing regions. The gold and double-gold wines were judged separately by region: Eastern US and Canada, or all other regions. Medals for each of these two separate regions were awarded for Best of Class and Best Riesling. Also, as in the past, a taste-off was held to determine the Best Riesling.

"The wines in this year's competition were simply stunning," said Debra Del Fiorentino, Director of Wine Competitions for Vineyard & Winery Management Group. "Our panel of judges, a diverse collection of wine media, educators, and vintners from both the east and west coasts, noted that the winning wines were elegant, exemplary examples of the varietals. We couldn't have been happier with the results."

Judges awarded a total of 15 Double Gold medals, 104 Gold medals, 298 Silver medals, 308 Bronze medals and 35 Best of Class. Judges also named five wines as Best of Show in their respective categories:

Best of Show Fruit: St. James Winery NV Strawberry Wine

Best of Show Red: Sunset Hills Vineyard 2010 Cabernet Franc

Best of Show Rosé: Wollersheim Winery 2012 Prairie Blush

Best of Show Sparkling: Sparkling Point 2008 Blanc de Noirs

Best of Show White: CAB Cellars/Laurentide Winery 2011 Riesling

The winner of the Riesling Challenge/Best Riesling was CAB Cellars/Laurentide Winery 2011 Riesling.

Full results are now posted on EnofileOnline.com or you may also visit the Vineyard & Winery Management website at vwm-online.com.

Vineyard & Winery Management

Based in Santa Rosa, California, Vineyard & Winery Management is an independently owned and operated multimedia company that produces wine industry trade publications, conferences, trade shows and wine competitions. The family-owned company publishes Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, which has the highest circulation of any North American wine trade publication, and the Winedex (Wine Industry Index) buyer's guide. V&WM's conferences and trade shows include Wineries Unlimited, the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference, and Winery DIY (formerly Wine Sales Summit). Its wine competitions include the Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge, Grand Harvest Awards, International Eastern Wine Competition, NextGen Wine Competition for Millennial Wine Drinkers, International Women's Wine Competition, West Coast Wine Competition, and U.S. National Wine Competition. See vwmmedia.com for more information. ###